# My uncle has Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 31, 2014, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185 "2014-10-31T23:56:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185/21 "2014-11-01T23:22:53Z")
> [@JackieLikesVariety](#): > > I have seem many worse deaths - COPD would be my idea of the worst way to go I actually know of someone who died in a horribly gruesome way. He was a drinking buddy of my a roommate I had for a while after college. I won’t say what it was, but it was out of an episode of CSI-- he wasn’t torture-murdered, but he might as well have been. PM me if you want the details. Suffice to say, anyone who dies in a bed with a morphine drip and family around did not die in the worst way possible. I doubt that’s much comfort to the OP, but really, people shouldn’t say things like, uh, well, what the mod already addressed. Anyway, there are some advantages to being able to plan, and to say goodbye. My father planned his own funeral, and seemed to get into it, in kind of a weird way. My brother even called him something similar to “corpse-zilla” once. (“He’s going to make us do what?” “It’s his funeral.” “_He won’t even be there._” “It’s still _ **his** _ funeral, and he will be happy to remind you of that.”) Anyway, don’t let anyone, particularly someone who doesn’t appear to have direct experience, tell you what to expect. Because it’s a rare disease, it’s hard to generalize. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185/22 "2014-11-02T00:40:20Z")
I didn’t find Senegoid’s post jerkish or upsetting. > [@JackieLikesVariety](#): > > do you know how they made the diagnosis? it’s been years since my Mom died but I though they had to sample cerebral-spinal fluid to do it, not sure if that’s true now. I don’t know how they made the diagnosis. I know that Mom said that they thought he had a mild stroke a couple of months ago, but that he seemed to be recovering well. Then he started failing rapidly and they did lots of brain scans (I don’t know which ones) and found little evidence of stroke. I don’t know if that means that the initial diagnosis of stroke was wrong, or just that the stroke was not a severe one and they did not consider it the cause of the new symptoms, or that the new symptoms were not caused by a second stroke. But I don’t know if they did a spinal tap. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185/23 "2014-11-02T01:45:07Z")
My condolences. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185/24 "2014-11-02T01:56:03Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > It makes me sad for him, obviously, and his wife and kids, but also for my mom. She really doesn’t handle death well at all. Who handles death well? Who ought to handle death well? Death blows. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185/25 "2014-11-03T14:06:03Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > **OMG!** > > Please don’t take this the wrong way! > > CJD is one of those diseases for which we really truly need to legalize and maybe even encourage mercy killing! > > From all that I’ve ever read about it, this is one gawdawful gruesome shitfuckingterrible way to spend one’s final weeks. > > I’ve suggested before that anyone with this diagnosis needs to commit suicide just as fast as you can, while you still can – Although to be sure, from what I’ve read, by the time you can get a diagnosis, you’re probably already too far gone to do so. > > Just gruesome horrible several weeks of unspeakable torment that no sentient piece of protoplasm should ever have to suffer. > > Okay, a no-so-ranty remark/question: What is available in the way of palliative care for these patients during the final weeks? I have a vague idea it might be something like fatal familial insomnia, where no amount of sedatives can even quite put the patient to sleep. Does anyone know how these patients are treated? :eek:DAYYUM… ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185/26 "2014-11-03T15:28:51Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I didn’t find Senegoid’s post jerkish or upsetting. > . I found Senegoid post a good advice for me. I don’t want to go through dementia, be it short or long, painful or not. And I really wish euthanasia were legal. The idea of dementia terrifies me, and it’s not like it’s rare to end up this way. Count me in for the mercy killing. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185/27 "2014-11-03T16:08:19Z")
I’m sorry, **jsgoddess**. Horrible news. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185/28 "2014-11-03T18:20:27Z")
> [@lavenderviolet](#): > > Hospice is a subset of palliative care, so it sounds like the right people are involved. Condolences. Specifically, it’s palliative care that’s given after the doctor says that the patient will probably die within half a year. Not that it can’t be extended, and extended again, as necessary. There are some benefits that apply once the paperwork to declare that the patient has entered hospice care has been completed that don’t apply if the paperwork isn’t done. Some of the benefits are government supplied and some are from insurance policies or local hospice organizations. Some doctors hesitate to offer to certify a patient as qualifying for hospice care unless the patient or family asks. So if you’re involved in someone’s care, be sure to ask. I wouldn’t bother with the paperwork unless the available benefits are usefull, though. For my aunt it was the only way to get any reimbursement for in-house care unless she was on a physical therapy program, which she refused to so. And she really wanted to go home. Sorry to hear about your uncle, **jsgoddess**. All my best thought to you and your family. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185/29 "2014-11-03T19:15:01Z")
I just received word that my uncle has died. Someone asked me upthread how old he was and I didn’t know for sure. He was 76. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185/30 "2014-11-03T19:21:21Z")
Condolences. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185/31 "2014-11-03T19:27:41Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > Condolences. ☹ Thanks. I’m glad he didn’t linger for long, though I think this was so fast everyone is going to be reeling for a while. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185/32 "2014-11-03T19:59:08Z")
Sorry **jsgoddess**. My thoughts are with you and you family today. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185/33 "2014-11-03T20:38:18Z")
Wow. I’m sorry you went so quickly from “I have a reasonably healthy uncle” to no uncle, but like you say, it’s better than if he had lingered. ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185/34 "2014-11-03T22:22:15Z")
**jsgoddess** I’m so sorry for your loss. Sounds as if he went quickly and peacefully. There’s a blessing in that I’m sure. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185/35 "2014-11-04T13:48:36Z")
I’m sorry for your loss. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185/36 "2014-11-04T16:51:41Z")
It’s the sporadic type, then? It’s scary in any case. It can be an unpleasant way to go, to put it very mildly. I’m sorry for your uncle. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185/37 "2014-11-04T22:50:58Z")
Condolences to you and your family, **jsgoddess**. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185/38 "2014-11-04T23:34:51Z")
Sorry for your family’s loss. To lose someone so quickly is hard to comprehend, but hopefully he has left many happy memories behind. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185/39 "2014-11-05T19:16:37Z")
Jeez, that was fast. Condolences and good thoughts to you and your family, **jsgoddess**. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185/40 "2014-11-05T19:19:18Z")
I’m sorry for your loss. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-uncle-has-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/703185.md?page=1)